Take-up device for knitting machines



y 8, 1954 F. LAMBACH TAKE'UP DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 14, 1950 INVENTOR. FRITZ LAMBACH W2- ATTORNEY y 4 F. LAMBACH TAKE-UP DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed April '14, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 INVENTOR FRITZ LAMBAICH N Z AT TORNEY May 18, 1954 FLAMBACH 2,678,551

TAKE-UP DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 14, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 3.

IN VEN TOR. FRITZ LAMBACH BY W- I Z- ATTORNEY May 18, 1954 F LAMBACH 2,678,551

TAKE-UP DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 14, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG'.4.

INVENTORI FRITZ LAMBAGH ATTORNEY May 18, 1954 F LAMBACH 7 2,678,551

TAKE-UP DEVICE FOR KNI TTING MACHINES Filed April 14, 1950 5 Sheeis-Sheet 5 FIG- 6@ IN V EN TOR. an-z LAM BAC H ATTORNEY Patented May 18, 1954 STATES PATENT OFFICE TAKE-UP DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINES Fritz Lam-back, Tcnafly, .L, assignor to Robert Rainer, Inc Weehawken, N. J.

Application April 14, 1950', Serial No 155,847

29: Claims;

This invention relates to knitting machines,

and more particularly to a take-updevice for taking up the fabric knitted by the knitting implements of a knittingmachine. An object of the present invention is to provide a take u-p device which facilitates the threadin ofthe fabric at the beginning of a knitting operation.

Another object of th present invention is to provide a take-up device of a knitting machine which subjects the fabric delivered by the knitting implements to a substantially constant tension, so that the quality of the fabric is maintained. during the operation of the knitting machine.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a ta1re-up device of a construction eliminating slippage between a power-driven take-up roller and the fabric delivered by the knitting implements of the knitting machine.

Another obi ect of the present invention isto pizovi'd'e a: take-up devicearrangement which permits a continuation. or the: knitting operation or the knitting machine while fabric is woundfabric.

A further object of the: present.- inventionis to provide: a mechanism facilitating the windingcfii of. fabric from: a full wind-up roller.

Another object of the present invention. is to improve on the: art oi lmitting machines asvnow ondin'arilymade.

Other objects and structurall detailsof the invention will be apparent from the following description when read in: conjunction with tho accompanying drawings forming par'tof this specifi'cation, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentarytop plan view of a-takeup device according to the invention, some parts being broken away;

Fig. 2-is a side elevational view of theleft' hand end ofthe take-up deviceshown in Fig. 1'

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken along line III-4110f Fig. 2;

Fig. 4. is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional viewsimilar to that shown in Fig; 4, wherein, however, the guiding roller ofthe take-up device is in its inactive position,

a The drawings illustrate as an example the application of a take up device to a warp knitting. machine of which only those parts are shown, which are necessary for the understanding of the invention.

Referring. now to the drawings, It indicates the left hand end frame and [2 indicates the right hand end frame of a warp knitting machine.

As best shown in Figs. 1-3, a shaft i4, operative'l'y connected in a suitable manner with the power-driven main shaft of the knitting machine, carries a sprocket wheel ['6 at its end. said sprocket wheel it is connected through a chain P8 with a sprocket wheel fitlkeyed to the driven shaft 22 of a reduction gear 24" mounted on a bracket 23 secured to the and frame It of the knitting machine.

The hollow end portion of the output shaft 28 receives a stud 36 of a take-up roller 32 extending longitudinally of the knitting machine. Prefera-bly said take-up roller 32- is provided with a friction covering of suitable material, for example, rubber, felt, a rubber-cork composition, etc. The stud 3t operatively connected with theoutput shaft 28' by a pin 34 is journalled a bearing 38- of theend' frame It. A stud 38- ('seeFig. l) at the" other end of the take-up roller 32 is iournalled in a hearing it of theend frame I 2 of the knitting machine. Thus, the take-up roller 52' is rotatably mounted on the frame of the knitting machine and may be rotated by the main shaft of the knitting machine through the medium of the chain drive it, I8, 20 and there'- duc'tion gear 24 As best shown in Figs; 2' and 3, a sprocket wheel. 42 is. rig-idly connected with the stud 3B of the take-up roller 32 by means of a pin 44'. Additional sprocket wheels Q5 and 3B are keyed to the projecting ends at shafts 5t and 52 respectively, which are journalled in bearings 54 and 561 respectively, of a bracket 58 secured to the end) frame l ilof the knitting machine. Frictional driving rollers 6t" and t2 respectively are keyed to the other ends of the shafts 5i and 52 respectively. A te'nsionin sprocket wheel 64 is carried by a shaft- 66 adjustably mounted in the bracket 58 An endless chain Eliis trained around the sprocket wheels i2, t t anddtjso that, apparently; the frictional driving rollers Bil and B2 are rotated simultaneously with a rotation of the take-up roller 3-2 by means of the main shaft through the medium of the chain-drive I6, I 8 20 and the reduction gear 24.

Asbest shown in Fig. l, a similar bracket TB is secured tothe end frame l2. Supporting rollers 12 and 1 4 are rotatably mounted onsaid Bracket- 10% .end thereof. .also be freely rotated by hand relative to the stud on the supporting rollers I2 and 14. It will be readily understood that the frictional driving rollers 63 and 32 rotated by the mechanism described abcve, rotate the wind-up roller 33 when the flange 93 is engaged with said frictional driving rollers 36 and 62.

For a purpose to be described hereinafter, the flange es of the wind-up roller 82 may be disengaged from the frictional driving rollers 69 and 52 by means of a lifting lever 34, swingably mounted on the bracket 53 at 35. Said lifting lever 34 has an arm 98 for manual operation of the lever, and an arm I33 carrying a pair of rollers I82 and I34 rotatably mounted thereon. When the lifting lever 94 is in the position shown in Fig. 2, the rollers H32, Hi4 are out of engagement with the stud 84 of the wind-up roller 88,

so that the flange 9i] can rest on the frictional driving rollers SIB and 52 for frictional engagement therewith. If, however, the lifting lever 94 is swung by hand into the position shown in Fig. 6, which is limited by an abutment of an adjustable abutting screw IE3 against the bearing 56,

the rollers I02 and I04 are brought into engagei ment with the stud 84 of the wind-up roller 88, whereby the latter is lifted to a slight extent, sufficient for disengagement of the flange 93 from the frictional driving rollers 53 and 62. In said position of the lifting lever 94, the stud 84 is supported by the rollers I82 and I04. When the wind-up roller 88 is in the position shown in Fig.

.6 with its flange 98 disengaged from the frictional drivin rollers 63, 52, the wind-up roller 38 may be readily rotated by hand, and the rotation of the power-driven frictional driving rollers 63, 62 has no influence on the wind-up roller 88.

. As best shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, a supporting .member I33 substantially in the shape of a disc, .is rotatably arranged on the enlarged portion I I of the stud 3!; of the take-up roller 32. Said supporting member I38, which may be freely rotated, by hand, relative to the stud portion He, may be held in an adjusted position by means of a spring- .loaded pin II2 arranged on the end frame I0 for selective engagement with one of the bores H4 and H3 (see Fig. 2), arranged on the rim of said supporting member I08. Agear IIS arranged adjacent to the hub of the settable supporting member I38 is rigidly connected with the stud portion H3 or the take-up roller 32 by means of a pin I20.

As best shown in Fig. 1, a disc-like supporting member I22 is rotatably arranged on the other stud 38 of the take-up roller 32 at the other Said supporting member I22 may 38 of the take-up roller 32.- Furthermore, the supporting member I22 may be held in an adjusted bymeans of a pin I28. The hub of the disc-like supporting member I22 abuts at one of its ends against said gear I26 and at its other end against 4 a spacing collar I30 arranged on the stud 38 whereby the supporting member I22 is prevented from axial displacement.

As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the stud I32 of a guiding roller I34, extending longitudinally of the machine, is journalled in a ball bearing I36 set in a boss I33 of the disc-like supporting member I38. Preferably said guiding roller I34 is provided with a friction covering of suitable material, for example, rubber, felt, a rubber-cork composition, etc. A gear I43 in mesh with the gear H8 of the take-up roller 32 is rigidly connected with the stud I32 of the guiding roller I34 by a pin I42. As best shown in Fig. 1, a stud I44 arranged at the other end of the guiding roller I34 is rotatably mounted, preferably through the medium of a ball bearing, in a boss I46 of the supportin member I22. Moreover, a gear I48 in mesh with the gear I23 of the take-up roller 32 is rigidly connected with the stud I44 of the guiding roller I34.

As will be readily understood from above, a rotation of the take-up roller 32 by means of the power-driven main shaft through the medium of the chain drive It, I8, 2!] and the reduction gear 24 results in a rotation of the guiding roller I34 about its axis by means of the pairs of meshing gears H8, I43 and I23, I48.

Furthermore, the arrangement of meshing gears IIS, I46 and I26, I48 at both ends of the comparatively long take-up roller 32 and guiding roller I34 reduces the twisting of said rollers to a minimum durin a setting operation of the guiding roller I34 by a rotation of the supporting members I08 and 522 from the active position of the guiding roller I 34 shown in Fig. 4 into the inactive position of said guiding roller shown in Fig. 5, and vice versa.

The operation of the take-up device is as follows:

Prior to the start of the knitting machine the supporting members I38 and I22 are brought .into such a position by manual rotation around the longitudinal axis of the take-up roller 32, that the guiding roller I34 is in the inactive position above the take-up roller 32 as shown in Fig. 5. The guiding roller I34 is held in said inactive position by the engagement of the holdin pin II2 (Fig. l) with the bore II6 (see Fig. 5). The holding pin I24 (Fig. 1) at the other end of the machine is in engagement with a corresponding bore of the supporting member I22.

After the setting of the guiding roller I34 into the position shown in Fig. 5, the knitting machine is started. Fabric I53 knitted by the knitting implements I52 may be readily threaded in the take- -up device. The fabric I55 is passed through the space between the guiding roller I34 and the takeup roller 32. When a sufficient length of fabric I52. After a certain length of fabric I50 has been wound on the wind-up roller 88, the lifting lever 34 is swung from the position shown in Fig. 2 .into the position shown in Fig. 6 without interruption of the operation of the knitting machine. After the flange of the wind-up roller 88 has been disengaged by said actuation of the lifting lever 94 from the driving rollers BI! and 62, the holding pins H2 and I24 are disengaged from thebq i s fih s p ti em b r 1B and 122 written 5 by -hu'mhg same outwerdiy ageinst'the eetien of th rshring's. As ematterof'cohveniehce each *horeii'ti aiighmntiviththe'associatedholding fiiii. 'seih csitiohisshowh in Figs, i=4. Thereafter the holding pins Hteind I24 are brought 'ihtoengeg'ement With-the borel M of 'the support- {1h iiieiiiheFiDS and withtheeerrespohdihg here I member 122, so that new the s heldinfthepiisitionshowhin A's 'Wiilbe Yea-r1113; understood from isoh'of Fig. 5 with Fig. "4, "c'iuiin'g'said chmar n Fig. "4, the guiding ro11erl34 as eeh ecthreughehehgle'ofz'iih aroundthe h iheleshsor the take-u roner'sz. Dur- 'ifbileri's' hroughtinto contaet with he're hhc isnyeipertion o'fwhiehnew "is w and effirein the wi'rid ii'ifi 'rdiierttywhieh he fr it's fiehgefso has been disengagedfromithe driving rollers eta end 62by "the hrhhg lever 94, es'show m Fig. 6. As best shewh 'ihhig. 4,;seideh' h1ereispieeerheht'er the guiding roller 134 iii'to 'it's etetive ositicn causes a conttt'oi "the fabric 150 with t e take-up roller "32' ever asub'stehtiei portieh or the circumference efthe letter. Likewise the febrie 'eohteets a substentiz iiportion of the circiiinfer'ence bfthe guidroi ler 1311. According to "the embodiment shown in i ig. 4, th contact-between the fabric and the take-up roller, as well asj betweeh the iabric and the guic iing roller amolihts' to apprenmately 5'70 in each case. The gfliigii'riig roiler I 34 Pfnowjsblbw thepa th of thefabr'i'c r50 iithding between t knitting implements aha th'e taige-up i ol lertfl. I N

Aftepthewguiqingroller I34 hash ggtivetposition'shown in i igs." 1-4, the lifting lever fl l isgeturhegi from the osition shown Fig. "b into -the -:pes ition shownin 'F'ig. '2, whereby the figngeflfl ef the wind-up rollefifl re-engaged with the frictionaidriying rollers so and. 62,180

that now the win d-up ro11er 88 is driven fo'r 'wi'ndnssl xi e A iP-U The ioqpingpf thefabricfi 5O lJroiihd th'tak'elip lOller ag andgguidih roller l'34 in theniahnr r fabric delivered by the knitting implemented the rrem'the wind-o roller "as by hehd enq; 1aeea ifitfihl' miner. During "shid'fiuili'ng of the rahhe thewihii-i'iproller es the knitting operation of the knitting na'ch' eer the suppertin memb rs we end 122 the esih shown in Fig. I5 into "the posidisheehient o: the guiding 0 shown and described, may be made Wit'houtfleseem the sitich -showh inFigfl provides for shmeiehtgfip en the fabric and tehsion-exertedoh the latter for drawing the fabric 'froihtheknitting impi'e ments. After the wind-up ro'lie'r 88 has been emptied, the free end of the fabriciscon'neted with the wind-np roller 88, as soon as a su'flicien't length of fabric has beenknitted duringthe'cfin tinuatie or the knitting o eration. After the connection of the fabric withthe wind upro'iie'r "tisythe'iiemge eflef the letter is re=ehgageii with position shown in'Fig. 5, whereupon the threa'difig of the fabric and the connection" thereof withthe *efhpty' Windm-proller takes place in the manner d'scrib ed above.

'I have described "a preferred embodiment of my'inve'z'mtich, but it is understood that thisifiisclosure is'for the'purpose'of illustration and that various omissions andchangesin shape, prepor= 'tieh'ehdarrangemeht of perts'as wen as thesu'bstitution of equivalent 'eler'hehts fortho'sehereih parting from the spirit and scopehf the-inventich as set forth in the'appe'hdedela-ims.

For example, either one of the pair's'of meshing gears H18, M13 and I26, 1 18,01 both'pairsofsaiii meshing gears, connected with the tak'e up'iol'lers 32 and guiding roiier I34 respectively, mayhe omitted, if so desired.

Furthermore, the "rotatable guiding roller ['34 couldbe replaced by a "g'uifiihg rod rigidlyeonnectedwith the supp'or'tingmember' Hi8 emit 2 2.

' 5 set'tihg theguiihg roller 134, "or a guiding rod substituted therefor, in an inactive "positio'niahfl in an active position could be of difie'r'ht eeri- Strutibh and arrangement.

Meree'ver, if so desired, a duplicate oith'e liftin "lever '94 could also he arranged on the bracket to at the other end of'the'khittihgniachinefbr disengaging the flange e: from the idle supporti'rigrollers 1'2 and. 7

What I claim is:

1. A take-up device for taking up the'iabiic knitted by the knitting implements of a knitting Ihaeh'ihe, comprising in combination: etak -mp relier'retetahiy mounted on the knitting machine "fcr'h-ictiehel contact its eiremhferehee with knitting machine, a drive for rotating said take up roller at a circumferential speed substantially equal to the travelling speed f said 'fabiic,'-a wihd-upfollehrotatehly mounted on the knitting "maehine for 'win'ding up the fabric after its "con-- t'ajcfl'with said t'akem'p roller, driying mean for rotating said. Wind- 11p roiier, guiding rn'eafi extending substantially parallel to said take -tip "roller;- said guiding means being movabiy mouh'v e'd'cn said knitting machine for movement around 'said'take up roller s6 as to be settable in various "hositio'ns relative to said take-iip roller, in e active position said guiding "means being on hohth'chwi'th said fabric; 'ihah active position-said guiding means contacting said fabiifihhdtg'iiifi ing same around a substantial portion of the circumference of said take-up roller, and setting, means for setting said guiding means in one of said two positions.

2. A take-up device for taking up the fabric knitted by the knitting implements of a knitting machine, comprising in combination: a take-up roller rotatably mounted on the knitting machine for frictional contact at its circumference with fabric delivered by the knitting implements of the knitting machine, a drive for rotating said .take-up roller at a circumferential speed subfroller, said guiding means being movably mount- .ed on said knitting machine for movement around said take-up roller so as to be settable in various positions relative to said take-up roller,

in an inactive position said guiding means being .out of contact with said fabric, in an active position said guiding means contacting said fabric and looping same at first around a substantial portion of the circumference of said take-up roller and thereafter around itself, and setting means for setting said guiding means in one of said two positions.

3. In a take-up device as claimed in claim 1, said guiding means training said fabric around at least half of the circumference of said takeup roller when it is in said active position.

4. In a take-up device as claimed in claim 1, said guiding means being of cylindrical shape,

and said guiding means training said fabric around a substantial portion of the circumference of said take-up roller and of its own circumference when it is set in said active position.

' 5. In a take-up device as claimed in claim 1,

"said guiding means being of cylindrical shape,

and said guiding means training said fabric around at least one half of the circumference of said take-up roller and around at least one half of its own circumference when it is set in said active position.

6. A take-up device for taking up the fabric knitted by the knitting implements of a knitting machine, comprising in combination: a take-up roller rotatably mounted on the knitting machine for frictional contact at its circumference with fabric delivered by the knitting implements of the knitting machine, a drive for rotating said takeup roller at a circumferential speed substantially equal to the travelling speed of said fabric, a wind-up roller rotatably mounted on the knitting machine for winding-up the fabric after its contact withsaid take-up roller, driving means for rotating said wind-up roller, supporting means movably mounted on said knitting machine, said supporting means being settable in a first position and in a second position, setting means associated with said. supporting means for setting same in one of said two positions, and a guiding element carried by said supporting means for movement around said take-up roller, said guiding element being in an inactive position out of contact with said fabric when said supporting means is in said first position, and said guiding element being in an active position contacting said fabric and guiding same around a substantial portion of the circumference of said take-up 'roller when said supporting means is in said second position.

v 7. A take-up device for taking up thefabric knitted by the knitting implements of a knitting machine, comprising in combination: a take-up roller rotatably mounted on the knitting machine for frictional contact at its circumference with fabric delivered by the knitting implements of the knitting machine, a drive for rotating said take-up roller at a circumferenctial speed substantially equal to the travelling speed of said fabric, a wind-up roller rotatably mounted on the knitting machine for winding up the fabric after its contact with said take-up roller, driving means for rotating said wind-up roller, supporting means movably mounted on said knitting machine, said supporting means being settable in a first position and in a second position, setting means associated with said supporting means for setting same in one of said two positions, and a guiding element carried by said supporting means for movement around said take-up roller, said guiding element being in an inactive position out of contact with said fabric when said supporting means is in said first position, and saidvguiding element being in an active position contacting said. fabric and looping same at first around a substantial portion of the circumference of said take-up roller and thereafter around itself when said supporting means is in said second position.

.8. In a take-up device as claimed in claim 6, said guiding element training said fabric around at least one half of the circumference of said take-up roller when it is in said active position.

9. In a take-up device as claimed in claim 6,

said guiding element being of cylindrical shape,

and said guiding element training said fabric around a substantial portion of the circumference of said take-up roller and of its own circumference when it is set in said active position.

10. In a take-up device as claimed in claim 6, said guiding element being of cylindrical shape, and said guiding element training said fabric around at least one half of the circumference of said take-up roller and around at least one half of its own circumference when it is set in said active position.

11. A take-up device for taking up the fabric knitted by the knitting implements of aknitting machine, comprising in combination: a take up roller rotatably mounted on the knitting machine for frictional contact at its circumference with fabric delivered by the knitting implements of the knitting machine, a drive for rotating saidtakeup roller at a circumferential speed substantially equal to the traveling speed of said fabric, a windup roller rotatably mounted on the knitting machine for Winding-up the fabric after its contact with said take-up roller, driving means for rotating said wind-up roller, supporting means movably mounted on said knitting machine, said supporting means being settable in a first position and in a second pOSltlOll, setting means associated with said supporting means for setting same in one of said two positions, and a guiding roller carried by said supporting means for movement around said take-up roller, said guiding roller being rotatably mounted in said supporting means, said guiding roller being in an inactive position out of contact with said fabric when said supporting means is in said first position, and said guiding roller being in an active position contacting said fabric and guiding same around a substantial portion of the circumference of said take-up roller when said supporting means is in said second position.

12. In a take-up device as claimed in claim aevsgear H, a; pair of! coupling means, one *of said coupling meansslbeingrconnectedl with. said. take-upro1le1g thee other: coupling means being. connected with said guiding roller, and said coupling. means be in operativeinengagement witheach. other wherrl saidguidingrollen is in: said; aotiveyposition.

13;. In a takesup; device asiclaimedainclaim 6,

supporting means rotatably: mounted onisaidl knitting: machine insubstantially: coaxial alignmentawithlsaiditake-up roller; andisai'dguidr ing'element; being: eccentrically arranged: on said supporting means and being. above: the path off said: fabrimwhenitlisin the inactive position.

it. In atake-updevice: asiclaiinediin claim 6, said. supporting; means being.- rotatably. mounted. onisaidisknittingmachine-aim substantially" coaxial alignment with said take-ups. roller; said: guiding elementibeing eccentrically arranged on: saidsupporting. means and being: above the path. of? said. fabric when it is in:- th: inactive position,. and.

said guiding. element. being; below the path: of the fabriczextending between the knitting implements andi the." take up. roller" when. said guiding element: is in: its: active position. i

15.. In; a' take-up device: as. claimed: in claim 6',

said supporting: means being. rotatably mounted.

the; knitting: implementseandythe take-up roller. K

when said guiding element is in itsaa'ctiye position;

Id. Inia; take-up: devicevas claimed. inclaim: 11, said. supporting: means. being" rotatably mounted on said knitting machine. in substantially coaxial alignment with said take-up roller, and said guidingroller being eccentrically arranged on said.

supportingtmeans and being abovethe path of said fabric when it is in the inactive position.

.111. Inatake-up device as, claimed in claim 11, said; supporting means being rotatably mounted on said knitting machine in substantially coaxial alignment. with said takerup roller said guiding roller being eccentrically arranged on said supporting meansand being above the path of said fabric when it" isin the inactive position, and said guiding roller being? below the path of the fabricextendingbetweerrtheknitting implements and the take-up roller when said guiding roller is in its active position.

, 18. In a take-up device as claimed in claim 11, said supporting means being rotatably mounted on said knitting machine in substantially coaxial alignment with said take-up roller, said guiding roller being eccentrically arranged on said supporting means and being above the path of said fabric when it is in the inactive position, and said guiding roller being substantially in the same horizontal plane as said take-up roller and below the path of the fabric extending between the knitting implements and the take-up roller when said guiding roller is in its active position.

19. In a take-up device as claimed in claim 11, said supporting means being rotatably mounted on said knitting machine in substantially coaxial alignment with said take-up roller, said guiding roller being eccentrically arranged on said supportingmeans and being above the path of said fabric when it is in its inactive position, and a pair of coupling means, one of said coupling to means'being. connected with said take-up roller, the other coupling means being connected with said guiding roller, and said: coupling means being in operative engagement with each other when said guiding roller is in said active position.

20. In a take-up device as claimed in claim 11, saidsupporting means being rotatably mounted onsaid knitting. machine in coaxial alignmment with said take-up roller, said guiding roller being eccentricalily arranged on said supporting means and being above the path of said fabric when it is in its inactive position, and a. pair of gearsimeshing with each other, one of said gears being connected with saidtake-up roller, andthe other gear being connected with said guiding roller.

21. A take-up device for taking up the fabric knitted by the knitting implements of knitting machine, comprising in combination: a take-up roller rotatably mounted on the knitting machine for frictional contact at its circumference with fabric delivered by the knitting implements of the knitting machine, a drive for rotatingsaid take-up roller at a circumferential speed substantially equal to the travelling speed of said.

fabric, a wind-up roller rotatably mounted on the knitting machine for winding up the fabric after its contact with said take-up roller, driving means for rotating said wind-up roller, a pair of supporting members, one at each end of the knit-- ting machine, said supporting members'being rotatably mounted on said knitting machine in 00- axial alignment'with saidtake-up roller,.a guiding roller rotatably mounted at its. ends in said supporting memberseccentrically to the axisof rotation of the latter, said supporting members:

being settable in a first positionand in a second position, setting means associated with. at least one of said supportingimembers'for settingsame in one of said" two positionasaidguiding roller being in an inactive position above the path ofsaid fabric when said supporting members. arev in said first position, said guiding roller being in an active position contacting said fabric and guiding same around a substantial portion of. the

circumference of' said take-up roller when said supporting members are in said second position, said-active position of they guiding roller: being located below the path of the fabric. extending: between the knitting'implements: and the. take-uproller, and pairs. of gears meshing with each other, one pair at each end of" the'knitting ma chine, one-gear; ofi eachzpair of. gears being oon nected with said power-driven take-up roller, and the other gear of each pair of gears being connected with said guiding roller.

22. A take-up device for taking up the fabric knitted by the knitting implements of a knitting machine, comprising: a wind-up roller rotatably mounted on the knitting machine, a drive including frictional driving rollers, said wind-up roller being normally in operative engagement with said roller rotatably mounted on the knitting machine for frictional contact at its circumference with fabric delivered by the knitting implements of the knitting machine, a drive for rotating said take-up roller at a circumferential speed substantially equal to the traveling speed of said fabric, a wind-up roller rotatably mounted on the knitting machine for Winding-up the fabric after its contact with said take-up roller, driving means for rotating said wind-up roller, said driving means be ng normally in operative engagement with said wind-up roller, a releasing mechanism operable for disengaging said wind-up roller from said driving means, guiding means extending substantially parallel to said take-up roller, said guiding means being movably mounted on said knitting machine for movement around said take-up roller so as to be settable in various positions relative to said take-up roller, in an inactive position said guiding means being out of contact with said fabric, in an active position said guiding means contacting said fabric and guiding same around a substantial portion of the circumference of said take-up roller, and setting means for setting said guiding means in one of said two positions.

24. In a take-up device as claimed in claim 23, said driving means including frictional driving rollers, said wind-up roller being normally in operative engagement with said frictional driving rollers, and said releasing mechanism including lifting means operable for lifting said wind-up roller to a predetermined extent so as to disengage same from said frictional driving rollers.

25. In a take-device as claimed in claim 23, said driving means including frictional driving rollers, said wind-up roller being normally in operative engagement with said frictional driving rollers, and said releasing mechanism including a lifting lever swingably mounted on said knitting machine and a pair of supporting rollers arranged on said lifting lever, said lifting lever being operable for bringing said supporting rollers into engagement with a portion of said windup roller so as to support the latter and lift same to a predetermined extent out of engagement with said frictional driving rollers.

26. In a take-up device as claimed in claim 23, said guiding means training said fabric around at least half of the circumference of said take-up roller when it is in said active position.

27. In a take-up device as claimed in claim 23, said guiding means being of cylindrical shape, and said guiding means training said fabric around at least one half of the circumference of said take-up roller and around at least one half of its own circumference when it is set in said active position.

28. A take-up device for taking up the fabric knitted by the knitting implements of a knitting machine, comprising in combination: a take-up roller rotatably mounted on the knitting ma-.

chine for frictional contact at its circumference with fabric delivered by the knitting implements of the knitting machine, a drive for rotating said take-up roller at a circumferential speed substantially equal to the travelling speed of said fabric, a wind-up roller rotatably mounted on the knitting machine for winding-up the fabric after its contact with said take-up roller, driving means for rotating said wind-up roller, said driving means being normally in operative engagement with said wind-up roller, a releasing mechanism operable for disengaging said windup roller from said driving means, supporting means movably mounted on said knitting machine, said supporting means being settable in a first position and in a second position, setting means associated with said supporting means for setting same in one of said two positions, and a guiding roller carried by said supporting means for movement around said take-up roller, said guiding roller being in an inactive position out of contact with said fabric when said supporting means is in said first position, and said guiding roller being in an active position contacting said fabric and guiding same around a substantial portion of the circumference of said take-up roller when said supporting means is in said second position.

29. In a take-up device as claimed in claim 28, said take-up roller being operatively connected with said guiding roller for rotating the latte when it is in its active position. 1

References Cited in the file of this patent V UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

